HRIS Business Analyst

Did you know?
Costco Wholesale is a multi-billion dollar global retailer with warehouse club operations in eight countries. We are the recognized leader in our field, dedicated to quality in every area of our business and respected for our outstanding business ethics. Despite our large size and explosive international expansion, we continue to provide a family atmosphere in which our employees thrive and succeed. We are proud to have been named by Washington CEO Magazine as one of the TOP THREE companies to work for in the entire state of Washington!

Description of position:

This individual acts as a liaison between IS application development teams, engineers, and the user community primarily focused on the clear definition of business objectives and requirements. The Business Analyst will work closely with the Director, Functional Area Managers, Application Engineer, and designated business representatives in defining and implementing the strategic direction necessary to better meet the business needs. The person in this position will preferably have knowledge of Costco’s business, the ability to effectively derive, articulate and manage business needs, as well as manage multiple assignments simultaneously. The Business Analyst will participate in all aspects of the software development lifecycle in order to contribute to the overall successful implementation of business solutions. The individual filling this position will also be expected to build and foster a strong relationship with the Business Unit Directors and Managers as well as I.S. Application Development Directors, Engineers, Managers and others.

Daily tasks and responsibilities
• Driving the effort to streamline business processes and/or developing tactical and strategic product, services and/or application solutions to support the business unit’s goals (financial, quality, production, customer service, operational efficiency, market share, etc.) by working closely with the Director, Functional Area Managers, and Application Engineers.
• Approving quality and relevance of all requirements impacting Director’s functional areas.
• Creating use cases and performing business modeling to document and communicate both current and “to-be� states through requirements gathering workshops..
• Working with the development team(s) to translate business and functional requirements into technology solutions.
• Participating in the evaluation of change requests in terms of their feasibility, validity and project impact.
• Analyzing existing systems and performing feasibility and impact analysis for new projects and enhancements.
• Assisting in quantifying the financial and operational impact of implementing new or modified business processes (time, cost, benefit).
• Reviewing and approving all relevant business rules relative to system enhancements or modifications.
• Reviewing the designs with other analysts, engineers, or Applications Managers for technical validation.
• Participating in the review of the conceptual designs with the designated user representatives to validate design is consistent with project requirements and business rules.
• Assisting in the development of acceptance criteria and related scenarios necessary to fully test system functionality and prove requirements are being delivered.

Qualifications:
• Preferably, must possess deep understanding of one or more areas of the Costco business, including strong understanding of manual processes important to the business or similar retail knowledge.
• Preferably, must have a practical knowledge of the organizational structure of the business area being supported and/or strong retail business acumen.
• Proficient in requirements gathering, business modeling and creating use cases as demonstrated on 3 or more large projects.
• Demonstrated strong retail or cross-industry experience as a business analyst.
• Must possess demonstrated experience with the selection of vendor solutions through RFI/RFP processes.
• Proficient in utilizing development and data analysis tools/utilities and an intimate knowledge of database systems.
• Proficient in the use of core project tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint, Rational tools, etc.).
• Must have proven experience in IS project methodology, processes and procedures, preferably RUP.
• Must have excellent analytical skills and demonstrated ability to effectively troubleshoot and provide solutions.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to negotiate and effectively engage with individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Must have demonstrated strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience in successful project implementation and follow-up.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully mentor on large projects.
• Must have strong work ethic, organizational skills, demonstrated attention to detail and excellent time management skills.
• Must be available to work as needed to honor project commitments, meet deadlines, and support assigned business area needs (nights and weekends).

To Apply: 
Email a current resume and cover letter in soft copy (WORD format, please) to it_jobs@costco.com
Please specify the job number to ensure proper handling of your resume